


The Road Back

by sterileflcwer



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 02:30:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18983371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sterileflcwer/pseuds/sterileflcwer
Summary: Richard Winters finds that the road to peace is not an easy one to tread.





	The Road Back

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting a pic on AO3, or posting one in a long time.

Hitler had shot himself in a bunker on April 30th, 1945. The Krauts finally surrendered on May 8th. Victory in Europe-- that should've been the end of it all. They had fought their battles. All of the men of Easy Company should be going home. Back to warm beds and full bellies, surrounded by those they loved. Yet, there will still boys fighting and dying in the Pacific. Hadn't enough been killed, shouldn't Hirohito be satisfied with all of the lives lost? If he would just surrender, there would be a world without war, these boys could finally have their rest.

Winters didn't believe in hating people, but if he did, Mickhinomiya Hirohito would be at the top of that list. If he could, he would hate Hirohito for keeping the world at war. For allowing so many young men to die, refusing to admit that he was losing. Refusing to let his own soldiers live the lives of peace that they deserved. 

From May 8th to August 14th, Richard Winters was doing everything he could to make sure the men of Easy Company didn't have to fight again. These men had been through enough, they no longer had anything to fight for. All they would be was toys in a game between world leaders. They didn't need to suffer anymore. But, he had been told that they would be sent to the Pacific if the war didn't end soon. Winters didn't want that for his men. 

 

And suddenly, August 14th, 1945 came. Victory over Japan, "...the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor," as Truman said. Finally, the boys would be heading home. They would have full bellies and be in their own homes. But, it also meant readjusting to civilian life. It meant having to pretend they hadn't seen some of the most horrific things man could create. The road home seemed much longer than Winters had realized before this point. After all, the victory seemed to be a surprise to the soldiers. So many thought that they would soon be sent off to die. Victory didn't seem real until this point. 

On the boat home, Winters saw the steely visage of Lady Liberty. Yet, it was so hard for him to cheer like the men around him. He should have been so overjoyed to see the symbol of freedom that had bid them farewell when they left. She was now the first to greet them. The Mother of Exiles, inviting all American soldiers to finally lay down their bags after fighting for so long. 

His road took another turn. Since he had first enlisted, he had dreamed of returning to New Holland, going to make his own corner of heaven. Yet, he found himself going to Raritan Township, taking up a position offered to him by his friend, Lewis Nixon. Soon after that, he was introduced to a young woman named Maria Chastain, whom he promptly married. Heaven and home seemed so possible at this point. 

The dream of finally being settled at home for more than a couple of years came to a halt on June 25th, 1950. Just days before the war in Korea started, Maria had told her husband that she was pregnant with their first child. Yet, soon after the baby was born, he was called into active duty, with only six months left to spend with his wife and young son. Active duty could mean his son may grow up, never knowing his father. It could mean Maria struggling to survive. Though God had seen him through the day of days, he knew that he may not be so fortunate. 

Luck served him, though. He was able to stay in New Jersey, training soldiers who were mostly unmarred by war. Young men who he saw himself in-- so innocent to the true horror that would await them. But, he was able to stay close to home. His wife and chid wouldn't have to know living without him for years.

When the war was over, he and Maria bought their own farm. Things seemed to finally settle. He was able to live in relative peace, finally making his own quiet corner of heaven. The road home had been long and hard to navigate, taking over a decade. Yet, he had finally reached it. Richard Winters was finally able to find peace in the world, not having to worry about the horrors that war had brought to him. The same Lord who had seen him through June 6th, 1944 finally allowed him to lay down his yoke.


End file.
